As a dietitian working clinically in a hospital, I've had to advise many patients on wound
healing over the years.
I've working with clients experiencing everything from leg amputations, to surgical scars, to
third degree burns, and of course, tearing during labour.
So, in today's episode, I'm going to share with you some of my favourite foods to help
heal tearing after giving birth.
Stay tuned!
Hi!
If this is our first time connecting, welcome!
My name is Melanie McGrice and I'm a pre and postnatal dietitian.
I help couples give their baby's the best start possible with the power of good food.
Make sure you connect with me on my socials... you'll find all the details in the description
box below this video.
Statistics tell us that nine in every ten mummas giving birth for the first time vaginally
will experience some sort of vaginal tear.
These tears range from a small nick to a deep laceration.
Either way, you obviously want to heal any tears as quickly as possible.
So, what foods help heal tearing after giving birth?
Make sure you include these three groups of foods in your post birth diet...
Number 1 - foods rich in protein.
Although you don't need very much protein for breastfeeding, it's really important
for wound healing.
Protein is a building block for making new tissue and healing wounds.
The worse your tear is, the more protein you'll need.
For most women, a protein-rich diet including foods such as milk, yoghurt, eggs, fish, lentils
and nuts is ample, but if you have a third or fourth degree tear, or your tear isn't
healing, it may be worth speaking to your dietitian about your personal protein requirements
and whether or not you need some additional protein supplementation.
Number 2 - foods rich in vitamin C. Vitamin C is a particularly important nutrient for
wound healing.
In fact, a recent study found that a diet rich in vitamin C significantly helped to
shorten the time it took for tears to heal in 26 women who had recently given birth.
The women consumed at least 100mg of vitamin C per day, which is relatively easy to get
from a vitamin C-rich diet.
For example, one mango provides 122mg of vitamin C. Other foods rich in vitamin C include strawberries,
potatoes and broccoli.
Number 3 - foods rich in zinc.
Zinc is essential for new tissue formation and a healthy immune system so is a key nutrient
to help heal tearing after giving birth.
Foods rich in zinc include fish, pumpkin seeds, cashews and milk.
Now, I just want to share another important tip to help heal tearing after birth...
And that is to try to maintain healthy bowels.
If you get constipated and have to strain, you're more likely to aggravate your tear.
So, a diet rich in fibre and fluid is essential to keep your bowels regular and soft.
Pears, oats and kiwifruit are particularly good choices for maintaining healthy bowels,
and you'll need to drink way more water than you've ever drunk before as your fluid requirements
will skyrocket as your milk comes in.
Hopefully I've given you plenty of tips to get started with.
If you need additional help, I'd really encourage you to post your questions in the comments
box below or to see a dietitian for personalised advice.
You can find the details for my team and I in the description box below this video.
Take care, and I'll look forward to seeing you in my next video!